Ashwin Lewis
Holding a newborn baby in your arms is a precious moment for any parent, and it is only natural that babies feel most at ease in your arms. However, this can get in the way of your sleep and alone time. Newborns don't have a sense of day and night and sleep around the clock, waking up every couple of hours to eat. They also need help to regulate their body temperature and get used to sleeping on their back in a crib. While there is no set time to stop holding your baby to sleep, there are steps you can take to help them sleep independently.
Characteristics and Values
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Newborn sleep duration | 14-19 hours over a 24-hour period |
| Newborn sleep patterns | No sense of day and night; wake every couple of hours to eat |
| Newborn sleep environment | Safe and approved products, low light, and minimal noise |
| Newborn sleep position | On their back in a crib |
| Newborn sleep aids | Swaddling, white/pink noise, pacifier, rocking, skin-to-skin contact, scent |
| Newborn sleep challenges | Reflux, gas, colic, teething, illness, temperature regulation |
| Newborn sleep independence | Avoid holding to sleep after 3-4 months to prevent sleep association |
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What You'll Learn
- The benefits of skin-to-skin contact and the familiarity of your heartbeat
- How to transition your baby to independent sleep?
- Why rocking and shushing your baby to sleep can lead to more overnight wakings?
- How to establish a sleep routine and create a sleep-inducing environment?
- The importance of swaddling and using white/pink noise to help your baby sleep
The benefits of skin-to-skin contact and the familiarity of your heartbeat
Skin-to-skin contact is vital for newborns, especially in neonatal units, where it is often referred to as 'kangaroo care'. Skin-to-skin contact helps parents bond with their baby and supports better physical and developmental outcomes for the baby. It also stimulates the release of hormones that support breastfeeding and mothering.
When a mother holds her baby in skin-to-skin contact after birth, it triggers strong instinctive behaviours in both. The mother will experience a surge of maternal hormones and begin to smell, stroke and engage with her baby. The baby's instincts will drive them to follow a unique process, which, if left uninterrupted, will result in their first breastfeed. Skin-to-skin contact also helps to regulate the baby's heart rate and breathing, helping them to adapt to life outside the womb.
For newborns, the fourth trimester is a huge developmental time frame as they adjust to life outside the womb. In the early days, it is necessary to hold newborns for sleep, at least some of the time, to give them the closeness and security they need. Newborns who are held or carried during the day tend to have less colic and fussiness. However, if a baby gets too used to falling asleep while being rocked or bounced, they may become dependent on this motion to fall asleep and may struggle to sleep on their own.
Newborns sleep around the clock, waking every couple of hours to eat. They do not yet have a sense of day and night, but over the next few weeks to months, you and your baby will begin to settle into a routine. It helps to keep things quiet and calm during middle-of-the-night feedings and diaper changes, keeping the lights low and refraining from playing with or talking to your baby. This will send the message that nighttime is for sleeping.
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How to transition your baby to independent sleep
It is only natural for newborns to crave the comfort of being held, as they spent nine months in the womb, enjoying the cosy quarters and ambient sounds. However, if you allow your baby to sleep in your arms too much, they are less likely to learn the skills required to fall asleep on their own. Here are some tips to help your baby transition to independent sleep:
Create a soothing and safe environment
Make sure the room is quiet, comfortable, and secure. Spend time with your baby in the room during the day, engaging in play or reading a book. This will help familiarise your baby with their new sleeping environment.
Set a consistent bedtime routine
Establish a bedtime routine that begins at an age-appropriate time (around 7:30 pm, no later than 9 pm) and ends in the room where you want your baby to sleep. Make sure feeding is the first step of the routine instead of the last to avoid any associations between feeding and falling asleep.
Put your baby down drowsy but awake
Hold your baby and cuddle them until they become drowsy, then put them down in their crib before they fall asleep. This allows them to fall asleep independently while still being tired and ready for sleep.
Avoid rocking or bouncing your baby to sleep
While it may feel natural to soothe your baby to sleep, doing so can make your baby reliant on motion to fall asleep. Instead, try other soothing techniques such as swaddling or white noise.
Sleep training
Sleep training is about teaching your baby to fall asleep independently. Traditional sleep training methods are typically introduced between 4 and 6 months of age, but the "`wake-and-sleep'" method can be started at any time. This method gradually weans your baby off motion, helping them to sleep independently.
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Why rocking and shushing your baby to sleep can lead to more overnight wakings
Holding a newborn baby in your arms is a heartwarming experience for any parent. In the early days, it is a necessity to hold newborns for sleep, as they crave the closeness and security they had in the womb. However, rocking and shushing your baby to sleep can lead to more overnight wakings.
During the first few months, newborns are still adjusting to life outside the womb and may need the comfort of being held to fall asleep. This is because they are used to the constant motion and ambient sounds of the womb, and being held helps them feel secure and relaxed. Skin-to-skin contact and hearing your heartbeat can also help regulate their body temperature, which is crucial as they cannot do this on their own yet.
However, as your baby grows and develops, it is important to gradually transition them towards sleeping independently. This is because rocking and shushing your baby to sleep can lead to sleep associations, where they rely on these external factors to fall asleep. If your baby falls asleep in your arms, they may wake up in the middle of the night in a different environment and become confused, leading to more overnight wakings.
When your baby wakes up during the night, they may look for the same intervention that helped them fall asleep initially. If they have not learned to self-soothe, they will be unable to fall back asleep on their own. This can result in more frequent wakings and shorter, broken naps. Additionally, as a caregiver, you may become frustrated and sleep-deprived due to the time and effort required to rock your baby back to sleep multiple times a night.
To prevent this issue, it is recommended to put your baby down in their crib once they become drowsy but before they fall asleep. This allows them to fall asleep independently and associate their crib with sleep. While it is natural to want to rock and shush your baby to sleep, it is important to prioritize teaching them the skills to fall asleep on their own, which will benefit both you and your baby in the long run.
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How to establish a sleep routine and create a sleep-inducing environment
Newborns don't have a sense of day and night and will sleep around the clock, waking up every couple of hours to eat. They need 14 to 17 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period, with some newborns sleeping up to 18 to 19 hours a day.
Establishing a Sleep Routine
It may take a few weeks for your baby's brain to start to differentiate between night and day. You can help your baby learn the difference by keeping things quiet and calm during middle-of-the-night feeds and nappy changes. Keep the lights low and avoid playing with or talking to your baby. This will send the message that nighttime is for sleeping.
When your baby is around 2 months old, their internal clock will become more predictable, and you can start to implement a basic sleep schedule. From 3 to 6 months, your baby's bedtime, naptime, and wake times will tend to occur at the same times each day.
Keep a sleep log to understand your baby's sleep patterns and wake windows. This will help you to schedule naps and bedtime accordingly. For example, newborns are only truly awake and alert for about three minutes of every hour, whereas 3-month-olds can be awake for up to two hours at a stretch.
Be flexible and try to adjust your baby's sleep schedule to stick to their natural rhythms. Watch for sleep cues, such as eye-rubbing, yawning, or crankiness.
Creating a Sleep-Inducing Environment
The safest place for your baby to sleep during their first year is in their own crib, on their back, on a firm, flat surface. The crib should meet federal safety standards, such as those set by the Canadian Government or the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
The room should be quiet, dark, and at a slightly cool temperature. Consider dressing your baby in sleepers so that they don't need a blanket.
Infants should never sleep on pillows, air mattresses, waterbeds, cushions, soft materials, or loose bedding. Do not leave a bottle of milk or juice in your baby's bed.
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The importance of swaddling and using white/pink noise to help your baby sleep
Holding a newborn can be a comforting experience for both the parent and the baby. However, it is important to gradually transition the baby to sleeping independently to prevent sleep associations that may be challenging to break later on. Swaddling and using white/pink noise are two techniques that can help your baby sleep independently.
Swaddling involves wrapping your baby snugly in a light blanket, mimicking the cosy and secure feeling of the womb. It is a simple and effective way to soothe a crying baby and make them feel safe and comfortable, especially during the first few months of their life. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends stopping swaddling once your baby starts trying to roll over to avoid potential safety hazards.
White noise is another powerful tool to help your baby sleep. It refers to a range of sounds, from a strong "shhh" sound to rumbly, low-pitched noises, that mimic the sounds your baby heard in the womb. White noise can block out environmental distractions, such as traffic or a television playing in the next room, and provide a consistent and comforting sleep cue for your baby. It can also help to calm crying and boost sleep duration. However, it is important to use white noise safely and avoid excessive volumes or prolonged exposure, as some white noise machines can exceed recommended noise limits for infants.
While swaddling and white noise can be effective tools, it is important to remember that every baby is unique, and their sleep needs may vary. Some babies may respond better to pink noise, which has lower frequencies and a more balanced sound profile than white noise. Additionally, combining swaddling and white/pink noise with other sleep strategies, such as maintaining a calm and quiet environment during nighttime feedings and diaper changes, can further promote healthy sleep habits for your newborn.
In conclusion, swaddling and using white/pink noise can be valuable techniques to help your baby sleep independently and develop healthy sleep habits. However, it is important to use these techniques safely and in combination with other sleep strategies to ensure your baby's comfort, safety, and well-being.
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Frequently asked questions
Newborns spent the last nine-plus months in the warmth and comfort of the womb, so it's only natural for them to crave the same creature comforts they were used to. The sound of your heartbeat, your body's warmth and familiarity all help your baby feel safe and secure.
You can help your baby associate their crib with sleep by repeatedly placing them in their crib when they are tired or already asleep. Pediatric Sleep Consultant Mandy Treeby suggests wearing the crib sheet as a tee shirt for a day so that it takes on your scent.
Newborns should get 14-17 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Some newborns may sleep up to 18-19 hours a day.
You can swaddle your baby, play white or pink noise, and put them down for a nap when they are tired but not yet overtired. It's important to understand how your baby sleeps now and how their sleep will change as they mature.
Co-sleeping is not recommended because it increases your baby's risk of sleep-related accidents such as suffocation as well as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
